Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-10-14
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES LINE
THE alAN1roBA's NEW LINE TO MoNrAN

THE hiAN1ToB.i's NEW LINE TO MONTANA
II WILL RESULT IN pEMoRAL1z1Sa RATES IN
4 LARGE SECTION OF COUNTRY. n: sss /.
From the Pioneer Press. +
Notwithstanding the fact that freight
rates throughout the West and North
west, the latter especially, are badly
broken up; what promises to be the big
gest and most far reaching smash Of all
is yet to come. This disturbance is in
connection with the advent ofthe Man.
itoba in transcontinento business
brought about by its Montana extension
now in operation to Fort Benton and
soon to reach Helena. At the first
glance it is not so easy to see how this
line can seriously effect all the trans
continental lines between the Canadian
boundary and the Gulf of Mexico, but
such is the case. Although the freight
tariffs are not yet distributed, the Mani
TOBIAS merchandise rates from st. Paul
to Fort Benton are on the basis of 50
per hundred pounds for first-class The
rates heretofore il. force to Livingstone,
on the Northern Pacific, is $295, and to
| Bozeman or Helena 50. Although the
Northern Pacific has prepared II tariff
OF lower rates contemplated to be put in
| operation about Jan: l., they are, of
course. not yet make public. 1t is ex-
pected that when the Manitoba reaches
Helena, IL competitive point with botu
the Northern and Union Pacific, that
rate of 81 will be quoted. This will stir
up hornets nest, and already the man
ayers Of the more southern lines are in
a stew over the threatened demoraliza-
ton. Tom Potter, OF the Union Pacific
has already made one visit to St. Paul in
the Interest of peace, and will be here
again this week, as will, also, represen-
tatives of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa
Fe and the Burlington & Missouri &c.
B. 4 O. which runs as far West as Den
yer. The reason for this trouble lies in
the condition of things. The strips of
territory running from north to south in
which are located Helena and Salt Lake
city has long been recognized by the
transcontinental lines as the middle
point, or the dividing line between the
Mississippi river and the Pacific coast.
The rates from Mississippi river points
to any town in this territory are the
same as from the Pacific coast to the
same town. Although the distance to
the the coast is less than to the riyerye
the conditions of railroading in the
mountains are more expensive, making
up the difference in mileage By agree
ment of the transcontinental lines the
rate from st. Paul to Helena is the same
as from Omaha to Helena and from Chi
cago to Helena the same via the North
ern Pacific as by the Union Pacific. But
the route of the Union Pacific lies di-
rectly west, to Utah and thence north
through idaho to Helena. Consequent
ly reduction of rates from st. Paul to
Helena, contemplated by the Manitoba,
would bring down the rates from Chica-
20 to Helena by both routes. Then the
Unioa Pacific would be obliged to scale
down the rates to every point in that
whole strip Of country from Montana
running southwark through Utah. This
forces down rates to Colorado points
and touches thefBurlinglon & Missouri
in sensitive spot. The instant the
rates from Chicago to Salt Lake City and
common points go down, the rates from
Pacific coast points to the same terri
tory must drop. This affects the Atchi-
son, Topeka 4 Santa Fe and the other
Southern transcontinental lines, because
it affects business between their termi-
mails, and, consequently, down 60 the
rates, like a row of bricks, from Helena
tc the gulf. 1t simply needs the Mani
toba to push the first brick little and
the whole line tumbles. Na wonder
the managert Of these different roads
are stirred up, for it is serious question
of railroad earnings, of freight rate de-
moralzation and uphill business. A
disturbance of transcontinental rates, as
can be seen from the above and little
study of the map, affects an immense
amount of territory and costs somebody
good deal of money. During the latter
part of this week the Representatives of
these lines will get together in St. Paul
and try to arrange matters with the
Manitoba to prevent the threatened ca
tastrophe